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Fourth Reich
The Fourth Reich is a Neo-Nazi faction within the post-apocalyptic metro system. As with most factions in the Metro universe, the Fourth Reich did not appear spontaneously, but evolved from an existing group, most likely radicals in the Central Metro Command. Overview The Nazis are a National Socialist faction in the Metro centred around the three main stations of Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya and Pushkinskaya which they dub "The Reich". However, they maintain numerous outposts and maintain a military presence in several outlying stations, possibly as an attempt at expansion as the Nazis are an imperialist faction. They are headed by one man the Führer and do everything he says showing its authoritarian society. The Fourth Reich as a whole is split into three sections. The Nazis, its military, and the Reich itself. Ideology To Completely understand the Nazis, it is important to understand their ideology. The Nazis are fascists. They form their organization after the german third reich, however it is not for german purity like it's predecessor, but rather for their Russian or slavic purity. For example Blacks, Arabs, or Asians found in the Metro are considered a lower race and second class. However another trait unique to the post war world, it the genetic purity they heavily emphasize. The Reich are always "improving" their standards. They want humanity to be rid of corrupt genes caused by radiation. if a person is missing 2 fingers or even a toe, the penalty is death. Recently more strict standards are implemented such as height. These race and gene standards cause many people living inside the reich to become Refugees. Nazis Nazis are the people who actually live in the Reich. Most Nazis are almost brainwashed by the Führer words of genetic purity and racially standards. Though some in the Reich resist such policies, they are usually either shot on site or sent to some concentration camp. Nazis in general, can be placed into 2 categories, Soldiers and civilians. Soldiers Nazi, especially the soldiers appear as fearless, brutal warriors with high morale on the battlefield, often shouting propaganda and taunts to Artyom or the Reds during a firefight. Despite their hostile nature and fervor in rallies however, some un-alert soldiers can be heard talking about missing their wives and children, as well as being critical or at least skeptical about the Nazi ideology and its cause in regards to the purpose of crimes it carries out, leading certain soldiers to consider deserting in favor of another less extreme faction such as Hanza. While this is the existing thoughts of the military, the Nazi civilians are less extreme mindset. Civilians Civilians who live in the Reich, are not exposed to much of the atrocities carried out by the soldiers leading to the Nazi civilians to believe the cause is meant to benefit them. Artyom mentions when in the Reich it appeared more clean and stable than the rest of the metro, most likely because the strict laws. However this can make them feel more comfortable living in the Reich and support their cause. Many civilians have fled the Reich however, on account of the standards set by the Führer such as height and weight. If these standards are not met the penalty is death, even if it is against a high ranking officer in the military. Military Fourth Reich poster boy Strength The Nazi soldiers of the Fourth Reich are fewer in numbers compared to the Red Line military, but the average soldier is superior due to being well trained and equipped. They seem to have a more efficient command structure and a grasp of military tactics than most other Metro factions, most likely because of the militaristic nature of Nazism but also an apparent preference of quality over quantity when it comes to troops. This doctrine is also most likely practiced out of necessity, given the the relatively low population of the Fourth Reich. Due to their xenophobic political beliefs causing hostility towards any non-Nazis regardless of their faction, their hatred for outsiders and 'shoot first - ask questions later' policy extremely limits their recruitment base as it is impossible for outsider volunteers who sympathize with their cause to join their ranks which is more common with the other factions. It is assumed all Fourth Reich soldiers are born and/or raised in the Nazi stations. Equipment All Reich soldiers are well equipped with almost identical matching uniforms, helmets and full ballistic vests. They are commonly seen with higher quality weapons such as AK-74M rifles and Automatic shotguns but occasionally some soldiers can be seen using low-grade Bastard carbines. Most are also carrying Revolvers, Grenades and Throwing Knives (although they are never used). Quite a few of them are carrying Night Vision Goggles, but prefer to conserve battery charge and only equip them when alerted. The Fourth Reich also uses a variety of rail cars with mounted machine guns and according to the E3 2011 demo, owns at least two armored trains. They also posses a unique contraption not seen being employed by any other faction in the Metro in the form of jury-rigged "Panzer" tanks built over standard rail cars using scrap metal armor and feature a rotating turret with a cannon. While only a handful appear to exist due to their rarity and appear to be destroyable by even the poorly equipped Communist soldiers, they are a menacing sight for enemy troops and instill fear even in Rangers. The Reich also possess an armored train with a Panzer turret on its roof which can be seen under maintenance in Separation. In Metro: Last Light, most Nazi soldiers seem poorly equipped. They now make more use of Bastards, Ashots and other low tier weapons, and they wear less body armor and equipment. This, however can be excused because the Nazis appearing in the game are all guarding stations or prisons - they can be considered a form of home guard, with weaker weapons. The Nazi Stalkers who capture Artyom, the soldiers on the Frontline in Heavy Squad and the stalkers in Sniper Team, wear similar gear to those seen in Metro 2033, so it can be reasonable to assume that all the heavy and advanced gear is given to the front line troops and special forces, not lowly guards at home. These units could possibly new recruits or militia guards, this theory is made all the more plausible by the fact that Reich soldiers can be overheard in the Sniper Team DLC mission commenting on Artyom's prison escape and how the soldiers guarding the concentration camp were all new recruits with not a single veteran amongst them. The "Frontline" Reich soldiers are seen with completely different armor and helmets from the previous game that seems to have be high quality custom built gear rather than salvaged and or refurbished like the gear from every other faction, they also carry high end weapons that are heavily customized and many of them assigned to patrolling surface areas for extended periods of time appear to be equipped with large oxygen tanks. However, the true explanation for this change in equipment between Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light is that the developers did not want the player to have access to advanced equipment so early in the game when the more advanced weapons, like the Kalash and the Shambler, have not yet been unlocked. The Reich stalkers encountered by Anna after Artyom is knocked out by the Baby Dark One are also very well equipped and trained. Almost all are equipped with AK-74M's with various attachments and some of the officers are equipped with Kalash 2012s. The stalkers also have a heavily armored truck similar to the Ranger's seen by Anna as they leave the area. The Reich Little is known about the Reich itself. In the Novel however a description is given by Artyom describing it a clean and crime less. This is most likely because of the laws set by the Führer. Whenever the Reich was established it is known that Three stations would be its home base and its main source of recruits. The Stations that would make up the main Reich are known as Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya, and Pushkinskaya. The Reich is the Home of all Nazis. It is the symbol and pride of the Nazis even their swastika which has three lines representing the three stations of the Reich. History Origins The emergence of the Reich in the metro is not known at all. No information on its origin is given in the Novel or Game. it can only be spectated that it emerged much like the Red Line, after the collapse of the Central Metro Command. It is also possible that the Reich was established by radical/dissatisfied elements of the Coalition after the end of the Hansa-Red Line War. Expansion After the Three stations were under the Nazi's influence the Nazi's were quick to make enemies. Almost no other stations would willingly share there belief's of Slavic purity and power along with the genocide of non Russians. They would be quick to make make enemies with the Red Line a communist group also known as The Reds. Throughout the Metro's history the Reds and Nazis would always be at odds often resulting in bloody wars. In the 20 years humanity have been under ground, the Nazis haven't assimilated any other populated stations, but do occupy new stations that act as military bases or supply stations, but no civilians within. Appearances The Nazis have appeared in all Metro Novels and Games. Novel A triskelion flag used in the novels. Sparsely populated by hardcore militant neo-Nazis, the Fourth Reich is known for its atrocities against people of non-Russian nationality. The population is terribly unbalanced, there are fewer women than men, which means that the Reich is facing extinction without expansion. They are despised and hated, but unlike in the games, are not in open war with any other faction and are directly opposed only by Guevara-inspired revolutionaries. The Fourth Reich is aware of its problems and some soldiers are heard talking about "an ultimate, last crusade" to capture Polis, although it's not known whether such plan actually exists. Their territories incorporate three interchange stations: Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya and Pushkinskaya. The encounters through the novel reveal the Fourth Reich's brutal nature as the entrances of the station are littered with bodies and decorated in slogans and murals to Adolf Hitler. The Reich is a relatively new faction in the book, much younger than its in-game counterpart. Both Artyom and his friend Vitali are surprised to learn of their existence and the man who explains the Reich to Artyom does not know its exact details. He is unable to remember if it is the Fourth or Fifth Reich. It is mentioned in the novel that the Nazi soldiers wear black uniforms with black berets and armbands with the Triskelion on. Metro 2033 The "C" used in the video game. The Nazis are first encountered during the Frontline, where they are in heated combat with the Red Line and are met again during Depot, Outpost and the Black Station levels. They are the typical anti-diversification group under the rule of an unnamed Führer. The Fourth Reich believes that the Slavs (more specifically Russians) are the ultimate race and believe every minority should be destroyed. The Reich in 2033 seems to be in the process of expanding its territory. They have recently occupied Black Station and were in the process of sending troops to clear out and take over Hole Station. They also have control of all tunnels leading in and out of the three main stations. The Nazis in game seem to have been founded much earlier than its counterpart in the book. In order for them to have constructed all of their machine gun railcars, Panzers and defenses it would have taken years to build, especially in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce. It is rumored that prisoners of war are sent to camps known as "Stalags" where they are enslaved, forced to carry out hard labor until they die or are used as live target practice by soldiers. Such rumors are confirmed in Last Light. Metro: Last Light Despite being hyped up as the primary antagonists in the pre-release materials for Metro Last Light, the Nazis only play a slightly bigger role than from the first. The Reich is one of the primary factions vying for D6. Now visibly led by the Führer in large rallies, Reich propaganda details that D6 is home to powerful weapons, and enough food to keep the Reich fed for improbable lengths of time. With few exceptions Nazis are remain perpetually hostile to the player, and openly seek combat. Artyom is captured by Nazi soldiers after locating the last Dark One and is transported to one of their concentration camps or "Stalags", reminiscent to the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. It is shown that in these camps are set up to detain non-Russians, as well as any innocents considered 'mutated'. Should any attempt to escape, the entire chamber would be filled with deadly toxic gas. In other Nazi stations, the Nazis are portrayed as an overly brutish people, with those that are less violent in their own ranks being tormented and beaten up. Despite having made a form of truce with the Red Line preempting the events of Metro: Last Light, and their presence at the Polis Peace Conference, the Nazis remain in heated combat with the Red Army at the Front Line in the Faction Pack DLC for Metro: Last Light. Through the efforts of Hans and other soldiers, the Fourth Reich did not fall to the Red Army during the time of The Battle for D6. Nazi Germany Similarities A clearly obvious trait about the Nazis is that they openly emulate Nazi Germany, both in style and in practices: their Slavic interpretation of Nazism means they believe that Russians are the master race and their soldiers are known to engage in ethnic cleansings against non-Russians and others they deem impure or mutated, which can include Russians such as Communist soldiers who are often executed without mercy. Stylistically there are many similarities that the Nazis have copied: The most prominent similarities is that Nazi soldiers all are equipped with helmets shaped like the famous "Stahlhelm" used by Wehrmacht infantry (even featuring the bolts on the side of the helmet) which became a famous symbol of Nazism. A second similarity is that the Nazis feature many banners and symbols based on ones used by Nazi Germany, featuring a prominent black icon (either a capital C or a three-pointed swastika known as a Triskelion) within a white circle and a red background, reminiscent of the flag of Nazi Germany. Markings of the walls in Nazi-held tunnels and stations are also painted on in a font commonly used in Germany and by the Third Reich. A third is their casual use of German language terms despite being Russian - listening to conversations between unalert soldiers they can be heard referring other Nazis as "Herr" (meaning Mr. or Sir) and to their captain as "Hauptmann" as well as calling their unknown leader the "Führer". Outside the novels, however, their German doesn't seem to extend past "partisan German", as in short stereotypical phrases picked up from numerous World War II movies (e.g. "Jawohl!", "Hände hoch!"). A fourth is their similar type of rallies and hails. Like the Third Reich, the Führer gives an enthusiastic speech to his soldiers who respond with a hail. However their hail is slightly different then that of the Third Reich. At certain points during a speech the Führer will yell out "Hail Reich!" instead of "Sieg Heil!" and the soldiers respond with " Slava! (glory)", though this is the Russian equivalent to "Hail" and is used by Russian neo-Nazis. Also, instead of the open hand salute they use a closed fist salute. As a side note, the Nazis are often referred to as fascists, which in Russia is used as a common synonym for Nazis. Also, just before he is hanged, Pavel calls the Reich officer Fritz, a common nickname for German soldiers used by Allied soldiers during World War II. The Soviets notably used Fritz more frequent than Jerry and Kraut which were mostly used by British and American troops respectively. Related Achievements Trivia * The gas mask worn on the cover art for Metro 2033 is actually a Nazi gas mask, despite the helmet featuring a red star. * Although some Nazis carry Throwing Knives, no one seems to use them. * The Nazi loudspeaker messages broadcasted at the Frontline are mimicking Nazi propaganda from WWII. * The Nazi Panzers armored railcars are crude imitations of Panzer IV tanks. * The war between the Fourth Reich and the Red Line is almost an exact replica of the Eastern Front during WWII: the Red Line has little regard for human life and uses conscripted troops extensively, while the Fourth Reich emphasizes on a professional military and armored vehicles. * Most of the frozen corpses seen on the surface during Metro 2033 bear Fourth Reich insignias. * The Nazis possibly have a sort of internal police force as during the scene where Artyom is held captive by the Nazis at the end of the mission Frontline, one of the interrogating soldiers mentions bringing in the Gestapo but the other declines because it will take too long for them to get there. The Gestapo ('Ge'heime 'Sta'ats'po'lizei) was the notorious secret police of the Third Reich who arrested perceived enemies of the state and other undesirables to the regime. * So far, the only playable Fourth Reich mission is Heavy Squad. * In both Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, some German words can be heard in the Nazis' conversation, even in the Russian dub. * In the novel Metro 2033 there is the presumption that the three-hooked flag is based on the three Nazi Stations but this is never confirmed. Many Nazi members do not know what the three pronged Swastika actually means it is commonly though that it represents the original three fascist stations, but it has also been attributed to Slavic nationalism. * The Swastika of the Fourth Reich is the same if not identical to the one belonging to the Gegengeist Gruppe (G.G.G.) from the video game BloodRayne. * In Last Light, they are only referred to as "The Reich" and not the Fourth Reich. * A new Reich flag is introduced in Last Light consisting of a black "R" on the standard Nazi flag design. The R is meant to represent the "R" in Reich. * The Reich controls a total of five stations, according to the game map. * It is reported that in the Italian version at least, soldiers of the Reich are referred to only as "Imperialists". * In terms of equipment, the Nazis possess the most unique pieces of equipment not seen used by other factions. These include their gas masks, only faction to wear black, different looking armor for heavy soldiers, their helmets and NBC suits. * Many fans previously thought that they were of German decent because of their similarities of the original Nazis. Gallery Nazi_0003_M2033.jpg|A Nazi Officer Nazi 0002 M2033.jpg|A Nazi Soldier Nazi_0001_M2033.jpg|A Nazi Stalker Nazi_0004_M2033.jpg|Ditto Nazi_0005_M2033.jpg|Ditto Reich_soldier_alpha.jpg|A screenshot from the alpha-version showing a Nazi Stalker with the Reich insignia from the novels. 1-06.jpg|Ditto 1-41.jpg|Ditto 1-39.jpg|Ditto nazi2.jpg|Fourth Reich Soldiers as seen in Metro 2033 nazi out1.jpg|Ditto 14.jpg|Ditto Metro2033_Edit033.jpg|Fourth Reich Stalker as seen in Metro 2033 Bildota 0007.jpg|Ditto Station Pushkinskaya.jpg|Art of unknown origin depicting Pushinskaya station. Metrolastlightforthreich.jpg|The assembly of the Fourth Reich in Metro: Last Light Fascisthallsalute.PNG|Fourth Reich soldiers at a rally, giving the Nazi style salute. Frontfascistsalute.PNG|Front view of the rally. Metro Last Light Concept Art VT 07-680x906.jpg|Reich Trooper Metro Last Light Concept Art VT 09-680x906.jpg|Reich Scout Metro Last Light Concept Art VT 16-680x906.jpg|Reich Stalker Metro Last Light Concept Art VT 08-680x906.jpg|Reich Tank Metro Last Light Concept Art VT 10-680x906.jpg|Reich Sniper Metro Last Light Concept Art VT 04-680x906.jpg|Führer Concept Art Reich Stalkers.png|Reich Stalkers as seen in Metro Last Light MLL faction pack 005.jpg|Ditto MLL faction pack 004.jpg|Reich Soldiers as seen in Metro Last Light MLL faction pack 003.jpg|Ditto photo.jpg|Ditto Reich soldier.jpg|Ditto reich commander.jpg|A Reich Officer Metro map d6.jpg|Reich Expansion MLL Fuher Profile.jpg Panzer.jpg|Nazi Panzer Frontline23.png MetroNazisGlitch.jpg 2013-07-28 00013.jpg|Reich concentration camp or "Stalag" References Category:Factions Category:Metro 2033 Video Game Category:Metro Last Light